Quiet
by Music Lover Always
Summary: "Kushina, why didn't I listen to you? You were right about everything, you and Minato. Where did everything fall apart? When did life become so unusually cruel?" Full summary inside


Quiet

Summary: "Kushina, why didn't I listen to you? You were right about everything, you and Minato. Where did everything fall apart? When did life become so unusually cruel?"

Days before her death, Mikoto reminisces about her life and what she has done up to this point. She's been noticing the strange changes in Itachi and she can't help but have a dreadful gut feeling about a dark moment in her future. She keeps her mind off her eldest son and focuses on Sasuke's youthfulness but even that isn't enough to occupy her. Her thoughts would always lead back to Kushina and Minato and their last words to her that would haunt her forever.

Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto.

Hey another story right! I was inspired to write this story after listening to the song "Quiet" by Lights. Yeah…Okay so I hope you enjoy it and sorry if it's so short but I thought this was good enough for now. I plan to make this story like 7-8 chapters long cuz it's just memories and a few twists that I want to add to the Naruto plot. Anyway hope you enjoy my story. Thanks!

* * *

Mikoto stared at the empty table that contained dirty dishes. She sighed in defeat and grabbed an apron that hung near the kitchen sink and put it on. She debated whether to tie her long, black hair but was lazy to walk over to the bathroom and gathered all the dirty dishes. Mikoto grabbed a damp wash cloth from the sink and squirted liquid soap onto it. She reached for a plate and noticed a red smudge on the edge. It reminded her of Kushina and her red-plum colored hair. She let out a tiny chuckle as a flashback flitted across her thoughts.

Flashback:

"_Hey Mikoto! Do you think I look like a chili pepper?" A woman shouted behind a curtain._

_Mikoto brushed her dark hair back and sighed. "I'll let you know only if you'll step out of the fitting room Kushina." _

"_I don't wanna!" _

_Mikoto let out a groan and tapped her foot. She checked her watch and she noticed a bare arm reach out to her. "What-" Kushina had pulled her into the fitting room and covered her eyes. She tried to pry Kushina's hands away from her face but she was shushed._

_Kushina whispered into her ear, "Promise me you won't laugh 'kay?" _

"_Okay I won't laugh! Could you please release me?" A moment later, her face was finally free and she stumbled into Kushina. She turned around and her eyes widened. _

_Kushina wore a strapless, long, red dress that went down to her ankles. It showed a bit of cleavage as there was a triangular cut in between the valley of her breasts. To top it all off, she had her cheeks puffed out and a blush stained her cheeks. _

_Mikoto covered her mouth and her body began to shake from the laughter she tried to hold in. She received a playful jab in the side from Kushina as a result._

"_You said you wouldn't laugh!"_

"_I'm not!" A giggle escaped her lips and she bent over. You look gorgeous!" She then took another look at Kushina and smiled. "Although, you do really live up to the name from our academy days: The Red Hot-Blooded Habanero."_

_Later that day, they met up with Minato who wore a yellow suit and Mikoto burst out laughing, not knowing it would be one of her last times she would truly laugh. _

_END FLASHBACK_

"What's so funny?" A rough voice asked behind her.

Mikoto jumped and whirled around to face her husband, Fugaku. She gulped and went back to washing the dishes. "Nothing. Nothing at all." She couldn't lie and say that his shadow looming over her didn't intimidate her but she didn't want him to have the pleasure of knowing the effect he's having on her. A calloused hand grabbed her wrist and she dropped the plate she was washing on the ground and it shattered into tiny shards. She hissed in pain when he wrenched her arm in front of her and squeezing onto her with full force.

"Are you laughing at me?" He menacingly murmured against her ear. When she didn't answer, Fugaku shook her. "Answer me dammit!"

"No I'm not!"

"Then what is so funny?"

Mikoto's eyes darted across the kitchen. She couldn't tell him. No, she didn't want to suffer his wrath. "I-It's-" Before she could finish she was yanked off the ground.

"I haven't heard you laugh like that in years. The only person who could make you laugh like that was Kushina." Mikoto opened her mouth to deny his accusation but a rough hand clamped down on her mouth.

He began to drag her off into their bedroom and she could her hear him mutter under his breath, "Even in death she won't leave us alone. Damn you Kushina!"

Xxxxxxxxx

Itachi sat in his bedroom, fondling Shisui's suicide note. He rubbed his eyes as a wave of pain struck him like lightning. He didn't know the side effects of having the Mangekyou and cursed his recklessness. He crawled over to his futon and nestled his body underneath the covers and right before he drifted off into a deep slumber, he heard the shattering of glass. He sat upright and listened. He walked into Sasuke's bedroom and peeked inside his room. Sound asleep. '_Good. I'll see what's going on then,' _he thought.

Itachi slowly walked to the kitchen and noticed his mother being dragged forcefully by his father. Itachi shook his head and he clenched his fists. He knew exactly what was going on and to think it was still going on only fueled his anger. He decided to wait in the darkness of their hallway.

As he heard his father approaching, he stepped out from the shadows. "I need Okaasan to help me clean a stain on my futon."

Fugaku quickly released Mikoto and placed his arms around her small shoulders, almost looking protective of her. He let out an irritated growl. "You're old enough to clean it yourself." He walked past Itachi but a firm grip on his shoulder stopped him.

"I have been but only Okaasan can do it." The cold stare he had on his face froze Fugaku in place and he slowly let his arm drop to his side. Itachi beckoned his mother into his bedroom and Mikoto followed quickly and soundlessly, thankful that her son unknowingly saved her from another beating.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Mikoto stepped into Itachi's room and her shoulders relaxed. She turned around and faced Itachi. "So where is the stain you want me to clean?" She forced a big smile on her face to keep her lips from quivering and crying in front of him.

"There is no stain." Itachi replied. He opened his closet door and pulled out a rolled futon and set one next to his. "You can sleep on my futon Kaasan."

Mikoto released her smile when Itachi began to unroll the spare one. She felt a burning behind her eyes and she waved her hands in front of her face. She didn't know what to say. She felt ashamed, relieved, tired, and most of all, sad. She could feel his eyes bore into her back and was glad that she couldn't see his face.

Itachi made his way over to his mother and stepped in front of her. Her face was downcast and he placed a hand underneath her chin. He lifted her head up so she could look into his eyes and he asked, "Why?"

Mikoto put on a strained smile and asked, "Why what? I don't understand Itachi."

"Why do you let him do this to you?" He carefully reached for her arm and pointed to the bruise that was slowly forming.

Mikoto looked like a fish out of water, mouth opening and closing. Nonsense spewed from her mouth and she began to make up excuses. '_I'm sorry. I used to be so strong and to think I used to challenge the world like Kushina but…I don't know what happened.'_

Itachi only shook his head in disappointment and dropped her arm. "Here's an extra blanket if you get cold." He went over to the spare futon and lain down. He covered himself and closed his eyes.

As soon as her head hit the pillow, Mikoto couldn't hold it in anymore. She began to silently sob and she tried not hiccup or let out a harsh gasp and so she muffled her voice against the pillow. Her body shook uncontrollably with every sniffle. She soon drifted off to sleep with her mouth slightly open to breathe easily as her nose was plugged up.

Itachi heard everything and screwed his eyes shut. He began to count the number of days left before the massacre.

* * *

Mikoto's Dream:

_As a young child, Mikoto was quiet and meek. No one really noticed her and when they did, it was only because they just found out she came from the prestigious Uchiha clan. She wasn't naturally gifted as a shinobi and she had to train harder than everyone else. She usually trained by herself since no one really wanted to talk to her and she didn't have a friend, only acquaintances. As she was walking back home from the academy, she noticed a circle of boys gather around a rather chubby looking girl. _

"_Hey tomato! You're not gonna squish us with your fat butt now are you?" A boy taunted as he tugged her flaming red hair._

_The little girl puffed her cheeks out and exclaimed, "You wanna piece of the future hokage? Well come and get it dattebane!" She lunged at the boy who tugged at her hair and began to slug him with punches. All the other boys tried to pry her off but she would attack any who touched her. She felt someone yanking on her hair and she released the other boy who she was slugging and bit the boy in the ear who yanked at her hair._

"_Hey let's get outta here! She's crazy!" They all scrambled away and left the girl huffing and puffing. She fell to her knees and leaned against a tree for support. She rubbed the sweat from her forehead and heard the soft padding of footsteps creeping closer._

_Mikoto ran over to her and helped her up. "Are you all right?" _

_The girl wrenched her arm out of her grasp and glared at her. "Yeah yeah. What's it to you?"_

_Mikoto was taken aback from her harshness but answered her question. "I just wanted to see if you were okay but I guess you are since you took out a circle of boys." Her eyes began to sparkle. "That was awesome!" _

_The girl's eyes widened and she let out a toothy grin. "Hehe you think so?"_

_Mikoto nodded eagerly. _

_The little girl extended her arm. "Well, thanks uh…" She rubbed the back of her neck in embarrassment. _

"_Mikoto. Uchiha Mikoto."_

"_Well I'm Uzumaki Kushina, the future Hokage of Konoha dattebane!" She exclaimed as she shook Mikoto's hand harshly and continued on, "And you're my new best friend!"_

_Mikoto was surprised but happy nonetheless. She didn't know the craziness that would await her, the mischief she would get herself into, the arguments they would share once in awhile or the sadness that brought them closer together, and it was all thanks to her new best friend, Kushina, but she at least she wasn't alone anymore. _

Yeah so this was just the beginning, it's going to contain angst and stuff but also light stuff 'cuz Minato and Kushina are going to brighten Mikoto's world. ^o^ Please leave a review and much love to the people!


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